Albertville approves code amendment to allow food trucks

The Albertville City Council adopted an ordinance providing specific standards for regulation of food trucks.

City clerk Kim Olson explained that the council earlier this year adopted an ordinance amending City Code Chapter 4 (Peddlers, Solicitors and Transient Merchants) and definitions of the Zoning Ordinance, relating to Mobile Food Unit regulation, and to recommend use of a Mobile Food Unit Permit.

“This ordinance was adopted because the city has recently experienced requests from food truck vendors to be able to operate in the community and city ordinance did not provide standards specific to the regulation of food trucks,” Olson said in her memo to the council. “The adopted ordinance provides regulation for food trucks/Mobile Food Units in the city and permits them as a transient merchant.”

She said definitions of a Mobile Food Unit include:

(1) Motorized or trailered, operating no more than 21 days annually at any one place, or operating more than 21 days annually at any one place with the approval of the regulatory authority and a self- contained unit, in which food is stored, cooked, and prepared for direct sale to the consumer.

(2) Operated in conjunction with a permanent business licensed under Chapter 157 or Chapter 128A of the Minnesota State Statutes at the site of the permanent business by the same individual or company, and readily movable, without disassembling, for transport to another location; and a self-contained unit, in which food is stored, cooked and prepared for direct sale to the consumer.

(3) Food Cart: A food and beverage service establishment that is a non-motorized vehicle self-propelled by the operator.

(4) Ice Cream Truck: A motor vehicle utilized as the point of retail sales of pre-wrapped or pre-packaged ice cream, frozen yogurt, frozen custard, flavored frozen water or similar frozen dessert products.

Olson said the key issues include:

• That the current fee for solicitors, peddlers, and transient merchants is $50 and $1 per day thereafter.

• Staff has recently received requests from various Mobile Food Units (MFU’s) that wish to operate for a longer, seasonal term. These vendors have included ice cream trucks and MFU’s permitted by the Albertville Premium Outlet Mall to operate on their property.

• The fee as it currently stands would charge anywhere from $80 to $230 for MFU’s to operate for a one- to six-month period.

• Staff recommends an annual fee of $75 for Mobile Food Units only.

“It would be City Council policy whether to allow additional days of operation for the Mobile Food Units; this would not apply to food carts or ice cream trucks,” Olson said.

Lastly, she said income from solicitor, peddler, and transient merchant permits is not a significant source of revenue to the city and should only be an amount to cover the city’s expenses in issuing the permit.

The council unanimously approved the ordinance amendment.

FRIENDLY DAYS

In other news, the council heard that the Friendly City Days Committee is requesting the closure of the following streets for the community festival during the dates and times. Friendly City Days will be June 11-15.

• 58th St. NE (Main Ave. NE to Lander Ave. NE) June 9-16 All Day Carnival.

• Lander Ave. NE (58th St. NE to Mark Barthel’s Driveway) June 9-16 All Day Carnival.

Clerk Olson said City Code designates that city parks close at 10 p.m. unless special permission is given. “The Committee is requesting an extension of park hours in Central Park for Friday, June 13 and Saturday, June 14 until 1:30 a.m.”